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Sunday, November 12, 2017

Right To Teach Evolution

I can recall in my freshmen year in high-school biology class being taught by one teacher and a student teacher They split with the division being dra down the middle between creation. One would teach the original thought of Creation being defined as Genesis. and evolution. My beliefs fall on the side of the biblical manner as the other seemed far stretched. The battle over not only the correct manner but teaching it in the classroom has been a debate for many many years.

In US schools, the Genesis creation story was taught to students as the origin of the universe and life. Scientific theory of evolution in the 1860s would become a challenge to be debated. The late 1800s would see changes take place in subjects such as astronomy and geology and open the door to Darwin's theories to become an acceptable thought.

A group of individuals following World War I wanted to have Darwin's theories taught in schools. A debate between the Fundamentalist and Modernist would become a controversy that has yet to be solved. Several states fought back and passed laws that banned the teaching of evolution in schools. Other states tried but were unable to pass such a law. One famous case took place in Tennessee where the Scopes Trial played out. John Scopes accepted and started teaching evolution in the classroom. This action defied the Tennessee law in the end Scopes was arrested and led to more debating and banning of evolution being taught in classroom.

We are not able to see how the prohibition of teaching the theory that man has descended from a lower order of animals gives preference to any religious establishment or mode of worship. So far as we know there is no religious establishment or organized body that has its creed or confession of faith any article denying or affirming such a theory. — John Thomas Scopes v. The State 154 Tenn. 105, 289 S.W. 363 (1927)[2]

The Epperson v. Arkansas court case played out in the United States supreme court. November 12th 1968 the court ruled that not allowing the teaching of evolution violated the establishment clause of the constitution. This opened the door to require teachers to teach the controversy. Again the court would ruled in a different court case striking down the need to teach the controversy. This would bring a fight from Creationists to teach intelligent design. Again debate would appear in a lower court. The issue has never disappeared and will continue to be debated. Some states choose to teach only creationism others teach a bit of both and while there is no bar in the US law creationism is legally taught in civics, current affairs, philosophy, and any comparative religions classes.